Soil Health Farm Tour

Region

Southeastern Minnesota

Timeline

September 2022 - Present

Audience

Farmers

Topics

Farmers in southeastern Minnesota are taking steps to build healthy soil by deploying a range of conservation practices on their land. Stop by their farms or explore their web pages to learn about their experiences through this self-guided tour.

Large signs along the edges of farmers’ fields highlight practices — such as conservation tillage, grazing livestock, and planting cover crops — that they implement to reduce erosion and improve the health of their soil. Accompanying flyers available at the tour stops and these web pages provide more detail about each farmers’ experiences.

Explore the interactive map and resources below.

Soil Health Farm Tour Stops

Farms featured on the tour are located in the Cannon, Cedar, and Root River watersheds.

1

Twin Oaks Farm

Cannon River

  • Cover crops
  • Grassed waterways
  • No till and strip till
  • Nutrient management
Driving Directions
2

Honken Farms

Cannon River

  • Cover crops
  • No till and minimal till
  • Nutrient management
  • Perennial plantings (Kernza®)
  • Prescribed grazing
Driving Directions
3

Simple Harvest Farm

Cannon River

  • No till
  • Nutrient management
  • Perennial plantings
  • Prescribed grazing
Driving Directions
4

Sommers Farm

Cannon River

  • Buffer strips
  • Cover crops
  • Grassed waterways
  • No till and minimum till
  • Nutrient management
  • Sediment basins
Driving Directions
5

Hilltop Farm

Cannon River

  • Cover crops
  • Prescribed grazing
  • No till
Driving Directions
6

Welter Farm

Root River

  • Cover crops
  • Crop rotation
  • Manure management
  • Strip till
Driving Directions
7

Angell Farm

Root River

  • Ridge till
  • Nutrient management
Driving Directions
8

Hamilton Farm

Root River

  • Cover crops
  • Nutrient management
  • Strip till
Driving Directions
9

TJ Kartes Farm

Cedar River

  • Cover crops
  • No till
Driving Directions
Sign reading soil health farm tour on a post in front of apple trees on a summer day.

Tour Spotlight: Simple Harvest Farm

Kathy Zeman and her brother Nick operate a 20-acre farm with a perennial pasture and livestock. The livestock, land, crops, and produce are all organic.

bright green soybean filed with blue sky and white clouds. A sign reading Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program is on the right hand side of the image

Additional resources

The Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP) certifies farmers for managing the land within their operation in a way that protects water quality.

Help us grow the tour

Add your farm

Interested in highlighting your soil health practices in action? We are actively seeking new farmers and soil and water conservation district partners to expand the tour. 

Support the tour

Environmental Initiative aspires to expand farmer soil health storytelling efforts across Minnesota. Contact us to discuss contributing or to learn more.

Project Contacts

Communications professionals Emily and Natalie are working to share the good news about on farm conservation practices and soil health. Contact them with your questions about the Soil Health Farm Tour or to learn more.

Our Partners